U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Imperial Valley ports of entry stymied two significant narcotics smuggling attempts over the Labor Day weekend.
On Saturday , at about 3:30 p.m. , a canine team at the Andrade port of entry alerted to a pick up truck in line waiting for inspection. The truck was referred to secondary inspection where 20 wrapped packages of cocaine were found in the pick ups spare tire. The cocaine weighed 53 pounds and has a street value estimated at more that $670,000. Then on Monday , at about 9:30 a.m. , at the Calexico downtown port , a car and driver were referred to secondary inspection where 49 pounds of methamphetamine was located in a hidden compartment under the car's floor. The meth has a street value estimated at nearly $70,000. Both drivers , residents of California , were arrested for alleged narcotic smuggling and turned over to Homeland Security Investigations for further processing.